Looking for new ideas for August family trip
 

We go to Gulf Shores every year during first week of August, but looking to try something different this year. Still want some beach time, and relaxation is priority #1, but it would be nice to not bake in 90+ temps. Kids are 11 and 8. Suggestions?

Hawaii or Southern California.

San Diego would be perfect. Or beaches between Sand Diego and LA. If they get tired of the beach, there is Legoland, Sea World, San Diego Zoo and the Zoo's Safari Park near Encitata.

Lake Michigan, there are some really nice beaches on the SE shore.

Where are you coming from and how do you want to travel - car or plane?

IMHO Cape Cod or Maine is classic for August - to get away from the heat, have some nice cool water (I can;t stand the water in FL - I feel like a lobster) and tons to see/do.

I was thinking Grand Haven, MI, but my wife thinks the water will be too cold (lake and pool)... and too cold to sunbathe. What's it like first week of August?

We're coming from St Louis and prefer to drive, but plane isn't out of the question. Considering San Diego and Cape Cod too.

According to weather.com, the average high for Grand Haven is 79. Record highs range from 88 to 92. I would think you could find a beach with shallower water that isn't so cold.

San Diego summer water temps are in the 60s. Same as any southern cal beach. So be prepared for much more refreshing swimming there compared to east coast summer waters.

I just googled to find this:
http://www.surfgrandhaven.com/cms/gr...t/index.1.html

Gives the daily water temp at the Grand Haven City Beach. Looks like it's generally been above 70 for the past week or so, except a couple days when it was 58 and 66. I'm guessing there must have been a storm or something those days.

Try Vermont!!

We are originally from the South and go to Grayton Beach, Florida, every year, so we know what you mean about the heat in Florida. We've been going to Vermont for the last two summers and it is wonderful! An unusually hot day is upper 80s. There are many lakes to visit and stay on. We rented a house on Lake Fairlee and had a wonderful time. We also rented cottages on Symes Pond, 20 minutes north of Fairlee. Both are in the Northeast Kingdom area. You can fly into Manchester, New Hampshire, Burlington, VT, or Boston Logan airport and drive to Fairlee or one of the other lakes (Lake Champlain, Lake Willoughby, Lake Bomoseen, and more).

It's like taking a step back in time....the area we visited is rural and peaceful, but there is plenty to do. Boating on the lake in a pontoon boat or a speed boat, pulling kids on a tube or water skiing, canoeing, cayaking, are all a blast. We took a hot air balloon ride over Vermont and New Hampshire, visited an outdoor movie theater, stopped at one of the many roadside stands for dinner and a giant soft serve ice cream cone (at the Whippy Dip), and just hung out and cooked dinner and enjoyed the peaceful star filled night. At Symes Pond the water is not deep enough for a motorized boat but there was a great swim platform that we swam to. At night we could hear the loons calling out to each other. It was amazing.

Good luck to you!

Addendum to my earlier post--my kids are 11, 9, and 7 and they loved Vermont.